List of Trek questions that keep us up at night

[The Wormhole]

Why do ships always meet the same way up?

Production wise, in the days of physical models, it was easier to film them that way. Once CG became a thing, a matter of convenience, probably.

I do like it when other sci-fi shows play around with this trope. For example, in Stargate when they were fighting the Ori, everyone tries to position their ships either in front of or behind the Ori ships. The Ori ships break formation and attack from above and below, which no one is prepared for.

Then sometimes, it's taken too far, like in Star Wars Episode 3 when General Grievous's flagship is taken out it practically "sinks."

 

[Richard Baker]

Production wise, in the days of physical models, it was easier to film them that way. Once CG became a thing, a matter of convenience, probably.

I do like it when other sci-fi shows play around with this trope. For example, in Stargate when they were fighting the Ori, everyone tries to position their ships either in front of or behind the Ori ships. The Ori ships break formation and attack from above and below, which no one is prepared for.

Then sometimes, it's taken too far, like in Star Wars Episode 3 when General Grievous's flagship is taken out it practically "sinks."

The flagship (along with the rest of the battle) was in the upper atmosphere of the planet- they held position with engines and when his went out it was dragged down into the gravity well.

2D ship movement/orientation is mostly done for the Earth based audience members to keep track better. In universe it was mentioned that the approaching ship changed orientation to accommodate the vessel already there as a matter of convention.

Not always though- I remember in the Wrath of Khan one scene where the two ship were flipped 180 to each other- you are looking down on the Enterprise and far below it you see the Reliant's underside.

My favorite of all time Trek 3D action is the AGT Enterprise coming up from below and flying through an exploding Klingon vessel

 

[UnknownSample]

It took a few years before audiences could become at ease with the concept that no matter how the ship was oriented, the crew would still be firmly anchored to the floor by internal gravity.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I wonder if they allow aliens to compete in the Olympics, and if so wouldn't it be grossly unfair?

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

I imagine that there would be various skill/ability divisions, much as the Paralympics has different groupings for various disabilities (blindness, missing limbs, etc)

 

[soornge]

why is everyone so xeno-arrogant as to think they know what the top of aliean ships look like : maybe everyone else wonders why we command from the bottom part of out ship lol

 

[Gary 11's]

why is everyone so xeno-arrogant as to think they know what the top of aliean ships look like : maybe everyone else wonders why we command from the bottom part of out ship lol

I've thought the bridge seems like obvious target on starships. You'd think some of the less ethical races would target the main command centre rather than the usual weapons, propulsion etc

 

[UnknownSample]

Yes, but command would be using crewmen as human shields, if they put command somewhere hidden away in the interior of the ship.

 

[soornge]

i reaearched this a little bit the brisge issue : seems like the in-universe answer given by creators is the bridges were designed to be removable and replaceable: so star fleet could up date and refit the bridge while a ship was on mission and when it came back it could just be slapped on 2 the real life creative answer is rodenberry insisted the bridge be on top 3 romulan and klingon ships have soecial armoring to thier bridge sections that make them less vulnerable than they appear but would be disruptive to the functions of nacelles 4. it is a matter of spaceship combat strategm to target the reactor for the following reasons 4.1 bridge systems can be rerouted 4.2 reactors cant4. 3 reactor is more easily damaged 4. 4 aaging the reactor cause a cascade of system issues 4. 5 forces critical choices between systems , beyween sparing crewman to work on reacor or fix it : in short you are always best off blowing ip the reacor 4.6 a reaacor breach should result in loss of power to all systems would mean in single combat short resolution okus the abikity to board the ship in full conflict would leave ships intact but crew needing to be rescued you always tey to disable verse destory because it requires your enemy to distract from assault

 

[at Quark's]

Just watching TNG's Disaster. In it, Beverley and Geordi have to depressurise the bay they're in (to get rid of some radioactive vats, and to extinguish a fire at the same time). After that they have to repressurise the bay again, of course. Once the air is out, they'll only have a few seconds of useful consciousness to achieve this.

OK. But ...

1) Why can't they simply automate this procedure ? Ok,I'll assume they couldn't because of the damage to the Enterprise at that moment. But even then ...

2) Why would there be no button to repressurise the bay on the same panel that can depressurise it and close the door again, but is the first such button located 15 meters away ? (other than giving our heroes the chance to stagger heroically in vacuum to that d*mned button , I mean )

 

[Captain Rob]

Mandatory rule for the writers' guide for the next series:
Don't create a plot that requires a procedure that clearly demonstrates that the vessel and information systems designers of Federation starships are beyond utterly stupid.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Why do they keep giving ships to offers who managed to get one or more destroyed? Picard lost the Stargazer and Enterprise, and Starfleet were like, "Don't worry man here's another."

 

[Finn]

What happened to the Vorta and Jem Hadar after the war and Odo took over leadership of the Founders?

I don't give a damn what the novels say. But I'm pretty sure Jem'Hadar would just go along with how Odo guides them. But If I were them, I'd worry about the Vorta.

If Patrick Stewart had departed TNG, and Riker had taken over command of the -D in "Best of Both Worlds", would Star Trek: Enterprise have still been cancelled after only 4 seasons?

There'd be no Pegasus. So no TATV Who knows.

There's a "standard orbit" around planets, so maybe there's a "standard" way for ships to approach each other.

That may work within the fleet or perhaps all Federation-affiliated vessels. But it wouldn't explain it happening when Voyager transversed the Delta Quadrant.

Why do they keep giving ships to offers who managed to get one or more destroyed? Picard lost the Stargazer and Enterprise, and Starfleet were like, "Don't worry man here's another."

To be fair, Picard wasn't on the Enterprise....

 

[The Wormhole]

To be fair, Picard wasn't on the Enterprise....

He's still the captain, it's still his responsibility. Sure, it sounds unfair, but that is how things go in the real world.

 

[Finn]

He was taken hostage in trade for Geordi. And Riker was more than seasoned enough there was nothing for Picard to do with him to help him grow.

And its not the real world

 

[exocomp]

Why do they keep giving ships to offers who managed to get one or more destroyed? Picard lost the Stargazer and Enterprise, and Starfleet were like, "Don't worry man here's another."

Sisko lost the Defiant and got another one, that he even got special permission to rename "The Defiant".

 

[Finn]

Everybody lost their ship in that battle, I guess

 

[exocomp]

Everybody lost their ship in that battle, I guess

Yes, for a ship without shields, it took an uncanny number of shots to destroy the Defiant!

 

[Tenacity]

He was taken hostage in trade for Geordi.

He wasn't actually "taken" hostage.

 

[The Wormhole]

He wasn't actually "taken" hostage.

The Duras sisters called him their hostage.